Germaine Cellier
Encyclopedia
Germaine Cellier was a French master perfumer
. She was known for creating bold, pioneering fragrances such as Fracas and Bandit. Cellier was also one of the first prominent female perfumers, at a time when the industry was dominated by men.
Cellier was born in Bordeaux, France in 1909. In 1930, she moved to Paris to study chemistry. After obtaining her degree, she went to work as a chemist for the French company Roure Bertrand. In 1943, she left Roure to work for Colgate-Palmolive as a functional perfumer, but returned to Roure after three months.
In the 1940s, Cellier met Robert Piguet, a former designer for Paul Poiret
who had started his own fashion house. Piguet aspired to create young, vibrant fashions for the post-war period. In 1944, she created Bandit, one of the first leather chypres
in perfumery. Cellier used 1% isobutyl quinoline to give Bandit an intense, leathery quality.
In 1945, she created Vent Vert for the house of Balmain
, which contained an overdose of galbanum
, and was considered to be the first "green" perfume.
In 1948, she created Fracas, considered today to be the landmark tuberose
fragrance. The formula, among other ingredients, contained Indian tuberose absolute, Tunisian orange blossom absolute, French jasmine, and Italian iris root butter.
Throughout her life, Cellier cultivated friendships with some of France's most famous figures, such as writer Jean Cocteau
, actor François Périer
, and Pierre Brisson, long-time editor of Le Figaro
.
In 1999, Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics, owner of the Piguet fragrances, launched re-orchestrated versions of Fracas and Bandit.
Perfumer
A perfumer is a term used for an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a Nose due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions...
. She was known for creating bold, pioneering fragrances such as Fracas and Bandit. Cellier was also one of the first prominent female perfumers, at a time when the industry was dominated by men.
Cellier was born in Bordeaux, France in 1909. In 1930, she moved to Paris to study chemistry. After obtaining her degree, she went to work as a chemist for the French company Roure Bertrand. In 1943, she left Roure to work for Colgate-Palmolive as a functional perfumer, but returned to Roure after three months.
In the 1940s, Cellier met Robert Piguet, a former designer for Paul Poiret
Paul Poiret
Paul Poiret was a French fashion designer. His contributions to twentieth-century fashion have been likened to Picasso's contributions to twentieth-century art.-Early life and career:...
who had started his own fashion house. Piguet aspired to create young, vibrant fashions for the post-war period. In 1944, she created Bandit, one of the first leather chypres
Chypre
Chypre, or , is the name of a family of perfumes that are characterised by an accord composed of citrus top-notes, a floral middle, and a mossy-animalic base-note derived from oak moss and musks...
in perfumery. Cellier used 1% isobutyl quinoline to give Bandit an intense, leathery quality.
In 1945, she created Vent Vert for the house of Balmain
Balmain
Balmain can refer to:Places:* Balmain, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Electoral district of Balmain, an electoral division in New South Wales, Australia* Balmain East, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia...
, which contained an overdose of galbanum
Galbanum
Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species, chiefly Ferula gummosa and Ferula rubricaulis. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran...
, and was considered to be the first "green" perfume.
In 1948, she created Fracas, considered today to be the landmark tuberose
Tuberose
The tuberose is a perennial plant related to the agaves, extracts of which are used as a middle note in perfumery. The common name derives from the Latin tuberosa, meaning swollen or tuberous in reference to its root system. It consists of about 12 species...
fragrance. The formula, among other ingredients, contained Indian tuberose absolute, Tunisian orange blossom absolute, French jasmine, and Italian iris root butter.
Throughout her life, Cellier cultivated friendships with some of France's most famous figures, such as writer Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
, actor François Périer
François Périer
François Périer, , born François Pillu in Paris, was one of France's most distinguished actors.He made over 110 film and TV appearances between 1938 and 1996. He was also prominent in the theatre. Among his most notable parts was that of Hugo in the first production of Jean-Paul Sartre's Les Mains...
, and Pierre Brisson, long-time editor of Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
.
In 1999, Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics, owner of the Piguet fragrances, launched re-orchestrated versions of Fracas and Bandit.
List of creations
- Robert Piguet Bandit (1944)
- Nina RicciNina RicciNina Ricci may refer to: * Maria Ricci, French designer of Italian origin* Nina Ricci...
Coeur Joie (1946) - BalmainBalmainBalmain can refer to:Places:* Balmain, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Electoral district of Balmain, an electoral division in New South Wales, Australia* Balmain East, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia...
Vent Vert (1947) - Robert Piguet Fracas (1948)
- BalmainBalmainBalmain can refer to:Places:* Balmain, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia* Electoral district of Balmain, an electoral division in New South Wales, Australia* Balmain East, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia...
Jolie Madame (1953)